Six people have been charged with aggravated trespass, following a protest at Cranswick’s Watton pork plant, in Norfolk.
A total of seven people were arrested after police officers were called to reports that protestors had gained entry to the facility just after 6am on Wednesday.
Those arrested included well-known Australian activist Joey Carbstrong, who is promoting his Pignorant film about the pig industry, which was released earlier in the year.
The group said it occupied what it described as a ‘CO2 gas chamber’ to highlight the ‘horrifying reality’ of UK slaughterhouses, the BBC reported. The activists published footage earlier this week that they claimed was filmed from inside the processing plant.
Five men and a women have now been charged in connection with the incident. Joseph Armstrong, 37, of no fixed abode, Karl Baker, 26, of Cherry Tree Road, Tunbridge Wells, Amelia Fishlock, 31, of Cherry Tree Road, Tunbridge Wells, Douglas Maw, 55, of Main Road, Yapton, Arundel, Calvin Tasker, 38, of Melen Street, Redditch, Worcestershire and Jacob Ball, 32, of Kingswinford, West Midlands, have all been charged with aggravated trespass and are due to appear at Norwich Magistrates Court on May 10.
A woman in her 20s has been bailed on suspicion of conspiracy to commit aggravated trespass to appear at Wymondham Police Investigation Centre on July 2.
On Wednesday, a Cranswick spokesperson said:Â “There is an ongoing criminal incident taking place at the Cranswick site in Watton, Norfolk, and as such we are unable to comment at this stage.”
The meat industry maintains that, despite, research to find better alternatives, CO2 remains the most welfare-friendly option to stun pigs prior to slaughter.
You can read reports on the incident by the regional BBC news HERE and ITV News HERE.